Redlands East Valley High School prank turns into frightening incident

REDLANDS >> San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials are investigating reports of shots fired Sunday at Redlands East Valley High School, where students were camping as part of their senior year prank — which the teens say was an approved event, but school administrators say otherwise.

Sheriff’s officers responded to multiple calls from students around 10:38 p.m. at the school at 31000 E. Colton Ave., reporting they heard gunshots after several unknown individuals tried to enter campus.

Sabine Robertson-Phillips, assistant superintendent of human resources for Redlands Unified School District, said the event was not sanctioned by the school nor district, and officials will continue to be cooperative with the Sheriff’s Department in their investigation.

“The detective and staff worked throughout the day interviewing students and reviewing videotape and to date, there’s been no evidence to show that there was a weapon discharged on campus,” she said.

REV Principal John Maloney said neither he nor school officials gave permission to camp and it is unknown how they got onto campus.

“We would have had people there if it was a school-sanctioned event,” he said.

Senior Nicholas Austin Daniel, one of the campout organizers, says Maloney approved the campout verbally about two weeks ago, and that the campus entrance was unlocked for the seniors by the administration.

“We talked to Mr. Maloney and he said, ‘Yes it’s fine. Just don’t put any fires on campus’,” Nicholas said.

Deputies and Redlands police came to the scene and locked down the campus while they searched the school.

Officials determined no students at the school had been injured.

Sheriff’s officials said the students, between 100 and 200, were camping in the quad when several people who weren’t students tried to walk into the area.

Nicholas says the seniors were hanging out and listening to music when the others came.

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“They brought alcohol,” Nicholas said. “We told them to leave. They got mad. They drove away and we heard three loud bangs, and then the cops showed up.”

Nicholas described the interlopers as 19- and 20-year-olds.

“We told them three different times to leave,” he said. “We had no idea who they were.”

When the intruders got back in their car to leave, it was reported that one of them fired three gunshots into the air, sheriff’s officials said.

“We did not see any physical weapon. We just heard three loud bangs,” Nicholas said. “A lot of people were running. A lot of people were scared. I was mostly just trying to get people back into the school and lock up the school so they wouldn’t come back.”

The vehicle was described as a dark gray or black Lexus sedan.

Deputies released the students to their families after about 1 1/2 hours.

Nicholas says several students had wanted to stay, despite the incident, but were told to pack up.

Maloney said although the students were not supposed to be on campus, they acted responsibly and were cooperative with authorities.

“They’re great kids,” he said. “They did exactly what was asked by law enforcement.”

Jennifer Irons said she received a call from her daughter Lauren O’Neil while the sheriff’s helicopter was hovering above campus.

Irons said her daughter relayed to her that a couple of her guy friends walked the intruders out of the quad area and told them to leave, when one of the intruders pulled out a gun and pointed it at her friend.

Another boy yelled, “‘Run. He has a gun,’” Irons said. Lauren told her mom that she was separated from her friends, and they were all hiding and waiting in the dark until they heard the sirens. “She said, ‘Mom, I have never been so scared in my entire life.’”

Irons said her daughter told her students had gone to the administration with a flier.

“They approved for a big screen to come in to watch movies on and everything,” Irons said. “The kids all brought their tents.”

Anyone with information may call the sheriff’s Yucaipa station, 909-790-3105.